Centenary of Good Samaritans ends in north-western Qld

Published: 11 March 2014

The time has come for the last Good Samaritan Sisters to say goodbye to Hughenden in the north west of Queensland, reports the ABC.

Sister Ita Stout and Sister Patricia Comerford, both in their 80s, are moving to Charters Towers, south-west of Townsville. The decision was made by the Good Samaritan Sisters congregation to move the sisters so they could be closer to fellow nuns and medical care.

Their departure means the congregation's Hughenden convent is now closed. Sister Clare Condon, superior of the Good Samaritan Sisters, says the decision was not made lightly.

'Look, there is a degree of sadness because we've been here 113 years,' she said. 'I think parting's always difficult, and particularly for the two sisters that are here, they love being here.

'But given our ageing as a congregation, we've had to make some hard decisions particularly in some of the more remote areas where our sisters have been for a long time.

'It's probably more difficult for older people to remain in the more isolated (places) because of their growing medical needs and care needs.'